


Kings

by Purple_Baepsae



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band), The boyz - Fandom, tbz, the boyz kpop
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Basketball, First Love, Love at First Sight, M/M, Pining, Youngjae- centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:55:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24810409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple_Baepsae/pseuds/Purple_Baepsae
Summary: Juyeon is Eric’s everything, even with their awful history. Now it’s a matter of whether Eric is going to mean the same to Juyeon, as he means to Eric.I suck at summaries, but please readddd!
Relationships: Bae Joonyoung | Jacob/Lee Sangyeon, Choi Chanhee | New/Kim Sunwoo, Juric - Relationship, Lee Juyeon/Son Youngjae | Eric, if you like squint - Relationship, maybe, or maybe not idk - Relationship, we'll see - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a social media AU. It’s on twitter under the name of @deobi_sun. Link is below.
> 
> I will post the au here on ao3, but twitter will be updated more frequently. I don't have a set schedule for how ao3 parts will come, but twitter will probably have something new everyday. Thanks for giving my story a chance!

[https://twitter.com/deobi_sun/status/1273881278123778050?s=21](Kings%20)

STORY IS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF CHAPTERS! READ NOTES FOR FURTHER INFO! UPDATES COMING VERY SOON! 


	2. Prologue Part 1 - Freshmen Year

Characters of Prologue pt1.

Son YoungJae & Kim Sunwoo (Sangyeon is Sunwoo’s brother in this au)  
♟-Freshman  
♟- Cre.Ker high school Tigers Basketball Team (Rival team is The Boyz High School Foxes Basketball Team)

Lee Juyeon  
♟-Junior  
♟- The Boyz High School Foxes Basketball Team

Public Accounts:

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Private accounts below: (they don’t see each other’s private accounts)

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(1) Prologue- Freshmen Year

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(2) - December Freshmen Year

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(3) - First Game?

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(4) - practice problems

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(5) - watch out sunwoo

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(6) - Before Game Day

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(7) - Game Day!

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(8)- #11

“Here’s the idea, we work our asses off at practice, and then when the time comes, we’ll just forget all we practiced so that we can warm up this bench,” Sunwoo complained. Youngjae was sitting next to him, on the beach, feeling quite embarrassed to be decked out in his uniform, knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to play on the court. Their coach, who was within hearing distance of Sunwoo, rolled his eyes.  
“Honestly, you two are so dramatic. I asked you to sit out of this one game, not to give up basketball.” He replied, sighing. Sunwoo had been pretty civil about not being able to play for most of the day, but the minute he had to see the players stretching, he got extremely bitter. Youngjae, who had not taken it nearly as well as Sunwoo since the beginning, had practically prepared for his being to be stuck on the bench. He patted his friend’s shoulder in comfort. The Foxes were going to be coming soon, and even if it wasn’t an official tournament, everybody was on edge.  
“Okay, I know you both are pissed that you have to sit on the bench, but this is a good opportunity for you both to see what techniques are useful. Don’t just watch us either, try to watch The Foxes as well. They're our rivals for a reason, and if we can figure them out before they figure us out, then the season’s ours.” Sangyeon told them. Sunwoo grumbled out an affirmative. The Tigers’ center, Hyunjae, was still stretching nearby and he looked tense, but Youngjae wasn’t worried. Hyunjae was ruthless in practice, and he expected nothing less of their center during a real game too.  
“You’ll do well, Hyunjae! I believe in you!” Youngjae cheered him on, and Hyunjae smiled fondly at him. Changmin, the shooting forward, came near Sunwoo and Youngjae pouting.  
“What about me? Aren’t you going to tell me I’m going to do well?” He teased. Changmin placed his sneakers dangerously close to Sunwoo on the bench and started to tie his laces. Sunwoo stared at him in disgust.  
“We can only tell that to people who will actually do well,” Sunwoo responded confidently while pushing Changmin’s sneaker off the bench. Hyunjae laughed as Changmin stumbled, and Changmin looked back up at everyone, betrayed.  
“Ahh, he’s joking. You’ll do great, Changmin.” Youngjae said.  
“Thank you! See, this is why everyone likes Youngjae more than you, Sunwoo.” Changmin teased, and Sunwoo scoffed.  
“Look, The Foxes are here,” Hyunjae said suddenly. The rival team from The Boyz High School walked in with immense confidence, their brown and yellow uniforms contrasting with white and orange ones already present in the gym. Youngjae stood up to get a better look at those coming in. They looked completely uninterested in what was occurring around them. Sangyeon walked over to them to shake their captain’s hand. The Foxes stood by their captain, tall and proud. Like they already knew they were going to win. Youngjae was intimidated just by their tough attitude, and he wasn’t so sure that sitting out was a bad thing now. He observed all the players but shifted his attention to next to him when Hyunjae came near.  
“They’re all incredibly good, but their shooting guard is amazing. He’s a junior right now, but no one doubts that he’ll get into university easily.” Hyunjae whispered to him. “He’s #11, next to Younghoon, their captain. Ugh, I can’t remember his name, but he’s always #11, so just watch out for him when you eventually play against him.” Youngjae nodded at the advice and gave Hyunjae a thumbs-up as he left the sidelines to get ready to start the game. Youngjae squinted and tried to get a good look at The Foxes’ legendary shooting guard. #11 was tall, around Sangyeon’s height, but a little slimmer, so he was probably quite fast on the court. And…oh.

He was _so_ handsome.

Youngjae’s breath caught in his throat. He had never seen anyone so devastatingly handsome in his entire life. Someone so beautiful that it made his chest hurt. He sat down on the bench, trying to calm his racing heart. Youngjae continued to look at him, unaware that the game had started.  
He watched as #11 made successful shots from different parts of the court. He watched as #11 dribbled past Youngjae’s team members. He watched as #11 won the game for The Foxes.  
When The Tiger’s team members came back to the sidelines, all he could do was keep staring. Sunwoo brought his hand down on Youngjae’s shoulder, and finally, he tore his eyes away from the #11.  
“Everyone's a little bitter, so it’s probably a good idea if we go change and get the hell out of here.” Sunwoo whispered, and Youngjae nodded slowly. As he walked back into the locker room, he heard a joyous laugh echo throughout the gym. When he turned back, his eyes locked with those of The Foxes’ shooting guard. He gave Youngjae a soft smile and turned away. Youngjae was _so_ fucked.

(idk how the formating is, so I'm going to insert pics of the text too. If the formatting bothers you, feel free to use the pics.) 

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(9) - Youngjae’s private account the next day

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(10) - Are you okay?

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(11) - crush?

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(12) - concerning behavior

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(13) - Exam Week

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(14) - winter breakkkkk

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(15) - exhausted

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(16) - Youngjae’s Google attempt

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(17) - Giving up

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(18) - YoungJae’s birthday!

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(19) - Asking Sangyeon

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(20) - Lee Juyeon

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(21) - wow

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(22) - more info

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(23) - Juyeon’s insta

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(24) - love

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	3. Prologue Part 2 - Sophomore Year

(25) - Prologue pt2 - Sophomore Year

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(26) - Juyeon's Insta

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(27) - After Youngjae sees Juyeon's insta post

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(28) - Why Sunwoo?

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(29) - Skater Boi

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(30) - Birthday Skate Time

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(31) - Popping a Wheelie?

(Formatting might be weird, here's the text and pictures of the text from the twitter au below. They're the same thing, but read whichever one works better for you!)

He’s not sure entirely what happened. One second he was on his skateboard, staring at his unfortunately low phone battery percentage, and the next he was on the hard ground. Frost sprinkled the sidewalk and his hands burned from when they hit the concrete. His breath came out in rapid, short bursts which manifested into a white fog in front of him. Youngjae’s skateboard rolled away from him and when he tried to get up, his ankle flared in pain.  _ Fuck fuck fuck.  _ Youngjae sat back down quickly, breathing hard. He opened his phone, hoping to call someone to help him when it abruptly died. Youngjae groaned and leaned his head against a nearby wall. His ankle still hurt, and it frustrated him more because he particularly hated situations where Sunwoo was right. Sunwoo was going to be  _ so  _ annoying about this when he came back from his trip. Slowly, Youngjae pulled his foot closer to him, cradling his ankle with care. 

“Skateboard trouble?” A voice called out, and Youngjae’’s eyes snapped up. Oh, that’s really amazing. His breath caught in his throat looking at the owner of the voice. His phone is dead, his ankle is probably broken, and now he can’t breathe anymore either. All on his birthday! What luck! 

“Yeah, I guess. Probably wasn’t the smartest idea to skateboard right now.” Youngjae meekly replied. The owner of the voice laughed. He came closer, placed down the large, blue duffel bag he was carrying, and crouched in front of Youngjae’s sitting body. The boy’s face became clearer. His brown eyes crinkled in worry and he pushed back his dyed hair, exposing a glorious expanse of forehead. If there was anything that could distract Youngjae from his awful luck it would be how handsome this boy was.

_ Lee Juyeon. Lee Juyeon. Lee Juyeon.  _

Juyeon looked past Youngjae and got up quickly. He indicated that Youngjae should wait there while he goes to get his skateboard (not that Youngjae could go anywhere anyway). Youngjae watched him as he walked away swiftly and elegantly. 

_ Lee Juyeon, do you know me? Do you know how you make me feel?  _

Juyeon jogged back with Youngjae’s skateboard in his hands. Youngjae painfully watched as Juyeon placed it delicately next to him and as Juyeon sat back down next to him. He carefully took Youngjae’s ankle and placed it in his lap to inspect it. 

_ Lee Juyeon, you’re my everything. Do you know that? I don’t even know you.  _

He touched Youngjae’s ankle with care, and Youngjae involuntarily hissed when he pressed a little too hard. Juyeon looked up, making eye contact with Youngjae, and smiled apologetically. Youngjae looked away, trying to remember to breathe. 

_ I love you.  _

Youngjae snapped out of his hazed state of mind, a little panicked by the idea that he can so easily admit to himself that he loves Lee Juyeon without knowing him at all. In his tweets, it was easier. It was fun. It was almost rebellious. But feeling his heart contract painfully just by looking at Juyeon is evidence enough that this isn’t as much of a joke as he wants it to be. It’s something big because if it was something small, he would have told Sunwoo. Maybe even the other members of his basketball team. But he didn’t. He guarded Lee Juyeon and what Juyeon meant to him deep in his heart. Almost a year ago on a basketball court, Youngjae fell in love the second he laid his eyes on Lee Juyeon. Now, that boy is in front of him, still so devastatingly beautiful and still unknowingly holding Youngjae’s fragile, young heart. 

“Your ankle is probably sprained,” Juyeon said regretfully. Youngjae nods and he’s touched that Juyeon looks so sad when he wasn’t even involved at all. Juyeon places Youngjae’s ankle back onto the ground, making sure to be gentle. He stands up and he looms over Youngjae. “I know you don’t know me, but my house is close by and I can tend to it if you want. Like I can just bandage it, and then maybe even drive you to the hospital.” 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to bother you.” Youngjae replied. A small part of him didn’t want to go anywhere with Juyeon. It was the part that was too scared of how much deeper he could fall and of getting his heartbroken in the end. A bigger part, however, needed to get off the ground and into a nice, heated home. If it was Juyeon’s house, well, that was only a plus. Youngjae cursed himself for never memorizing anyone’s number other than his parents and Sunwoo’s. None of those people were nearby. His parents had urgent business to attend to, which, of course, had to be right on his birthday. He wasn’t that bitter, though, because they usually always were there for him regardless of what time of year it was. If they needed to take time away for business, then he couldn’t really complain that much. 

“It’s not a bother at all. Is there anyone you need to call? You can borrow my phone.” Juyeon suggested. He started to reach into his pocket to pull out the phone, but he stopped when Youngjae shook his head. “What about your parents? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“They’re not in town. I’ll call them if I really need to go to the hospital with you, but they’re coming back Christmas Eve anyway. They can check it out and see if it’s necessary to go to the hospital.” Youngjae said back. Juyeon nodded in understanding. 

“I’m Juyeon by the way,” Juyeon responded, flashing a smile in Youngjae’s direction 

“Youngjae.” Youngjae smiled back pathetically. 

“Here, you can get on my back. I don’t want you to limp anywhere, it could just make your ankle worse.” Juyeon said. He put Youngjae’s skateboard in the duffel bag he’d been carrying and slung it on one shoulder. Before Youngjae could protest, Juyeon was crouching down already. Youngjae hesitated, but he moved forward and slid his arms around Juyeon’s neck. Swiftly, Juyeon stood up, placed his hands underneath Youngjae’s thighs for support, and started to walk. Youngjae tried to focus on making sure his legs didn’t swing and hit Juyeon and concentrated on keeping them stiff, one of them resting against the duffel bag and the other on Juyeon’s side. However, Youngjae was still painfully aware of Juyeon’s back against his chest, Juyeon’s large hands holding his thighs strongly, and Juyeon’s breathing from when his chest rose up and down against Youngjae’s hands. He was so  _ real.  _

A part of Youngjae was terrified. He didn’t plan on trying to get over Juyeon because he had figured it would happen naturally. Like how the teenage girls in his class fell for boys and moved on the next day. But did they feel something as intense as this? How could anyone get over a feeling so strong? He was choked up and so absolutely aware of Juyeon that it felt like nothing else really existed. His smell would linger on Youngjae’s clothes until tomorrow at least, and the thought itself was almost as intoxicating as his scent. When Juyeon is around, Youngjae can only see and think of  _ him _ . He knows he’s romanticizing Juyeon in a way that’s unhealthy. He doesn’t know Juyeon and Juyeon is only human. Youngjae can’t expect Juyeon to feel the same, and he can’t expect him to be exactly what Youngjae wants. That doesn’t stop Youngjae from hoping, from yearning. 

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(32) - Dr.Juyeon

“Okay, we’re here, but my keys are in my bag. I’m going to get them out, so just hold on to me for balance, okay?” Juyeon asked. Youngjae started to nod, but Juyeon was already placing his good foot on the ground. His injured leg was still held firmly in Juyeon’s hand. It struck Youngjae that Juyeon never seemed to wait for anyone to answer his questions. As Juyeon fumbled in his bag for the key, Youngjae  instinctively tightened his grip , the fear of falling pulsing through him. His leg that was on the ground burned from where Juyeon’s hand had been, and he didn’t know if he wanted Juyeon to hold him again or not. Juyeon opened the door as quickly as he could, put his key back in his bag, and, without a warning, grabbed Youngjae’s leg to hoist him on his back again. Juyeon walked in confidently but stopped as soon as he managed to close the front door. 

“I’m not sure where to put you,” Juyeon said, sheepishly. 

“Oh-um. The couch or like, you know, a chair is good. I don’t really mind. I think I’ll be fine if I sit down.” Youngjae answered, rushing over his words. 

“If it’s a sprain, people usually say to rest with a pillow under it. We donated our old couches, and the new ones haven’t arrived yet, so the only comfortable place is my bed. If you’re not entirely uncomfortable with it, I’ll put you on my bed. I’ll wrap it in some bandages and get some ice, after.” This time, Juyeon hesitated as if he was waiting for an answer. Honestly, Youngjae just felt bad that Juyeon had been carrying him for so long, so it didn’t really matter where he was put as long as his leg wasn’t under pressure. 

“That’s okay too,” he said softly. Juyeon started heading to his room, and Youngjae can barely even comprehend what’s going on. He’s in Juyeon’s house. How did fate even make him end up here? Juyeon let him down gently on his bed, and he went in search of supplies. Juyeon’s room was small but lived in. His bed was against the corner, and it was big enough to fit two people. It had light blue bedding, but it was a basic frame, just like what would be displayed in a furniture store. On the other side of the room, there was a whole wall with built-in shelves, and a desk. On the shelves there were rows of trophies, seemingly for dance and basketball. It didn’t surprise Youngjae because Juyeon often posted dance videos on his Instagram, but the sheer amount of trophies was impressive. Juyeon appeared a second later with a small pillow and some bandages. He was looking at something on his phone intensely. Youngjae noticed that he had removed his shoes and he felt guilty because he was still wearing his. He didn’t have much of an opportunity to take them off, but he felt bad regardless. 

“The internet says that putting elastic bandages would actually help you reduce swelling. I don’t think it does much else, but if it helps, then I think we should wrap it up.” Juyeon said, looking up from his phone. His eyes went to Youngjae's feet. “Oh, your shoes. I completely forgot about those.” 

Youngjae flushed. He felt a lot younger and more incapable. To distract himself and make himself more useful, he reached down and started to pull at the laces of his sneakers. The foot that was uninjured was simple, but the other foot seemed like it was going to cause problems. He pulled too hard at his injured foot and had to stop immediately, as pain flared up. His flinch prompted Juyeon to come close and take the laces away from Youngjae’s hands. Slowly, Juyeon undid them and started to peel the shoe away. Every single time Youngjae hissed in pain or sucked in his breath, he would stop and only continue after a couple of seconds. It was tedious, but it was clearly effective since his shoe eventually came off without too much pain to his foot. Before Juyeon could touch his sock, Youngjae reached down himself. He personally didn’t like the idea of taking off someone’s shoe, so he didn’t think that Juyeon would like that much. Juyeon waited patiently as he slowly took his sock off. Eventually, his foot was free but was throbbing a little bit more. Youngjae’s shoe and sock had held tightly onto his foot, so it had made it harder for him to realize that he was hurt. His ankle was quite swollen, and it wasn’t unsightly, but the difference between the sizes of his two feet was enough to make Youngjae look away. 

Just like when Juyeon first found him on the ground outside, he took Youngjae’s gently. Swiftly, he started to wrap Youngjae’s foot in a compression bandage. Juyeon looked up at him, and when Youngjae’s eyes met his, a small blush appeared on both of their cheeks. Whenever Juyeon pulled too hard, Youngjae’s hands would find Juyeon’s, partly to stop him, but also to just give Youngjae something strong to hold onto. And Juyeon would hold his hands, his thumbs rubbing small circles in them and whispering softly in Youngjae’s ear about how he was okay, that the pain would go away soon, or that Juyeon was right there for him. When Juyeon was finally done, he placed the pillow on his bed and directed Youngjae’s foot to lay on top of it. Juyeon looked at him, and he carefully brushed away some of Youngjae’s hair that was covering his forehead. He took Youngjae’s hand again and with his free hand, applied slight pressure to Youngjae’s ankle. Youngjae tightened his grip, and Juyeon nodded as if he was trying to understand the extent of the injury. 

“I’m going to get ice and probably something to eat. Is there anything you’re allergic to or don’t like?” Juyeon asked. Youngjae’s hand was still holding onto one of Juyeon's, and Juyeon looked at it fondly. His thumb was still rubbing circles into them, but he stopped abruptly when he realized what he was doing.

“Oh no, you don’t have to get me anything,” Youngjae said while letting go as quickly as he could. His hand was aflame, and he shielded it protectively. He took a small breath which helped calm his heart. 

“ I have to make something for myself anyway, and I don’t want you to sit there doing nothing while I eat. I’m really sorry, but I don’t think I can drive you home tonight, so it might just be better if you get comfortable.” 

“Why can’t you drive me home?” Youngjae asked. 

“It’s late already, and I can’t drive past 11 p.m because my license doesn’t permit that. I would drive you right now, but you literally just got situated and I’m starving because I had just finished dance class when I saw you. Besides, the roads are slightly icy and I’m not comfortable driving on them when it’s dark.” Juyeon said, apologetically. Youngjae looked up to see a clock on one of the walls, and his eyes widened when he saw the time. It was around 9:00 pm. He had probably got to Juyeon’s house by 8:30, which meant that he had been skating for quite a while before he got hurt. 

“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. I’m sorry I’m intruding on your home.” The highlights in Juyeon’s hair shone in the light, and the strands fell softly against his forehead. Youngjae’s fingers itched to brush them back, to see if it really was as soft as it looked. 

“You’re not. I offered, remember? Stop worrying so much about bothering me. Now, is there anything you can’t eat?” 

“No. I can eat whatever.” Youngjae responded. Juyeon nodded and walked out. Youngjae’s eyes watched as he left, and the room practically  _ became  _ bigger. For a minute, he sat in the same position, wishing that Juyeon would come back with his sweet smile. He shivered and the quiet of the room settled on his shoulders like a burden. Youngjae rested himself against the headboard of the bed and looked at his foot resting on the pillow. A hundred thoughts ran through his head. Like how Juyeon was going to make food for him, which is incredibly domestic, or that his heart is pounding hard because everything smells like Juyeon and Juyeon himself is not even 100 feet away. It’s a little overwhelming and extremely surreal. He’s also very concerned for Juyeon because he’s a little too trusting. Youngjae could’ve been a serial killer and Juyeon could be dead on the floor of his bedroom in any other universe. Youngjae knows he’s being a little hypocritical because technically Juyeon could kill him too, but at least he’s got an excuse. He’s literally in love with Juyeon, so why wouldn’t he take the opportunity to spend time with him?

Eventually, Juyeon came back with a tray. On the tray, there was an ice pack for Youngjae, beer, and pasta. Juyeon carefully placed the ice pack on Youngjae’s foot and put the tray on Youngjae’s lap. He took one of the beers and one of the plates of food while leaving the rest for Youngjae. Youngjae is technically too young to drink, but he’s had beer a couple of times. It’s all kinds of awful but bad enough to be good. He thanked Juyeon, opened the can of beer, and took a sip. It’s just as bad as the times he’s had it before, but a can is enough to get him at least a little buzzed which will hopefully keep his mind off the pain in his foot. 

“I wanted to distract you from the pain,” Juyeon said, swirling the noodles around his fork. He indicated with the utensil before putting the food in his mouth. He had pulled up a chair near to the bed that Youngjae was sitting on. He hadn’t changed, but he had removed his jacket, and his arms were on display from the tank top he was wearing. Youngjae eyed the muscles, and he wondered how they might feel against his skin. He already knows how it feels to be carried, but he thinks it would be a lot sexier if Juyeon carried him in the way the opposite of a piggy-back. He snaps himself out of it because he really shouldn’t be thinking about his legs wrapping Juyeon’s waist. 

“Thank you for that,” Youngjae responded because it was kind of Juyeon, and he didn’t think about it but it’s certainly going to help Youngjae be a little less awkward. They ate in comfortable silence, but Youngjae was never one to keep quiet for long. 

“How long have you danced?” he asked. Juyeon’s eyes flickered to his trophies. 

“Ever since I can remember,” Juyeon answered smoothly. Youngjae blinked for a second, and it became clear to him that Juyeon didn’t talk more than he needed to. Someone who saves his words as if they’ll run out, which is oddly poetic because Youngjae is the exact opposite. Youngjae goes through his words quickly, desperate to drown out any silence that might suffocate him. He lives to talk to others, which, he supposes, is why keeping his love for Juyeon a secret from his friends is very unlike him. Youngjae has never minded sharing his stories, but Juyeon is not a story. He is a fantasy. He fills every crevice of Youngjae’s beating heart and admitting anything about Juyeon puts the reality of his love in the air and away from where Youngjae can control it. 

“What kind of dance do you do?” 

“Anything, I guess. More hip hop stuff because Changmin and I like choreographing those dances.” 

“Changmin? As in Ji Changmin? From Creker High School?” Youngjae asked because he hadn’t realized that Changmin danced that much. He had known Changmin liked it, but he’s almost sad that he wasn’t more aware of this passion that his friend had. 

“Yeah. You know him?” Juyeon asked, his eyes flickering up to meet Youngjae’s. They looked at him so intensely that Youngjae could feel the slow heat coloring his face. Youngjae looked away. 

“Yeah, I go to the same school as him. We’ve been friends for a pretty long time.” Youngjae has been friends with everyone on the basketball team for as long as he has ever remembered. The only reason he’s so good at basketball is because all his friends helped him improve his skills. He’s never outwardly told them how grateful he is that they helped him, but he’s sure they know. There’s no one that loves his friends as much as Youngjae loves them. 

“He’s a good guy. Really talented.” Juyeon replied. 

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(33) - Shameless

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to try dancing, but I’m afraid that I won’t be that good at it” Youngjae was working as hard as he could to keep the conversation going. Perhaps, Juyeon liked the quiet, but he didn’t seem like he was awfully uncomfortable answering Youngjae’s questions, and Youngjae didn’t want this to be any more awkward. Youngjae shifted uncomfortably in the bed, and Juyeon quickly made haste to pull the tray off his lap and onto the nightstand nearby. Youngjae took his hoodie off, and he could feel his shirt underneath ride up as well. As he pulled the hoodie over his head, he saw Juyeon stare at his bare skin. Youngjae pulled his shirt down before any more of his stomach could be shown. He grabbed his beer and he finished it, trying to keep his mind from thinking irrational ideas. 

“When your leg gets better, you should try it out. You have a good body for it.” Juyeon said quickly. He focused his attention back on his food and twirled his fork around nervously. 

“Oh? Really?” Youngjae wondered if Juyeon had liked what he saw. Did he like the way Youngjae’s stomach looked? Would he have continued to stare if Youngjae hadn’t pulled his shirt down? The excitement of it was intoxicating itself. 

“You’re lean and hold yourself well, so I think you could pull off some interesting choreo. Also, you’d look good on stage naturally.” 

“Why?” Youngjae pushed, and he stretched again, letting his shirt ride farther up than before. He was buzzed from the beer, at that point, and nothing was holding him back from being shameless. Juyeon flushed, and Youngjae was elated to see that Juyeon definitely was staring at Youngjae’s torso.

“You’re pretty,” Juyeon admitted, suddenly. Shocked, Youngjae stopped stretching. Juyeon looked surprised at himself. He said it without his voice wavering, but his cheeks burned. “That’s not what I meant to say. It just came out. Sorry.” 

“Thank you for the compliment” Youngjae replied smoothly, his cheeks adopting a color similar to Juyeon’s. His shirt still hadn’t fallen back into place, so there was still a sliver of skin exposed to the air and Juyeon’s eyes.“You’re pretty too.” Both their blushes became more vibrant. 

“Thanks.” Then, Juyeon followed with, “Maybe one day, we can dance together.” It threw Youngjae off guard because he was a lot more sure that he would have had to keep the conversation going. Juyeon went back to finishing his food, but it looked more like he wanted to drown himself in the past sauce. 

“I’d like that,” Youngjae confessed because he would. He imagined himself on a stage with Juyeon by his side, amazing people with their sharp moves. It was almost overwhelming how much he suddenly wanted it. He conjured up an image of Juyeon after a performance, sweaty and smiling proudly. He thought of Juyeon looking him in the eyes, his hands falling at Youngjae's waist, telling Youngjae that he did well, and it made Youngjae swoon. 

“You don’t talk much, do you?” Youngjae threw out, desperate to keep the silence away before he completely loses his sanity to made-up scenarios. The beer had started to talk now. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Juyeon look up slowly at him. 

“I guess not, but I also don’t know you very well. I’m not the greatest around people I don’t know.” He admitted, his eyes found their way back to Youngjae’s stomach. Youngjae’s eyes flicked toward Juyeon’s beer can, and it looked just as empty as Youngjae’s. They were both buzzed now. 

“Then, get to know me,” Youngjae said boldly, and he’s more surprised by Juyeon smiling at him. He thinks Juyeon is starting to have fun now. He was almost smirking at Youngjae, and it made his heart beat so hard that Youngjae was sure Juyeon could hear it. 

“Oh? In which ways should I get to know you?” Juyeon responded, confidently.  _ In any way, you want.  _ Youngjae thought as a response, and he had thought that he didn’t have the courage to say something like that out loud. Which is true. He does not have the courage to say something like that when he is completely sober. But he was not sober. The words fell out before he could stop them. Youngjae stiffened, but everything was out in the air anyway. He glanced to his side. Juyeon’s eyes burned their way into his, and they’d turned darker than the night sky outside Juyeon’s window. 

Youngjae barely got a second to breathe before Juyeon kissed him. 

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(34) - The Morning Of

Juyeon. 

That’s who Youngjae falls asleep and wakes up to. Juyeon wakes up slightly after him and he’s so beautiful in the morning, it’s almost unfair. His hair is tousled from sleep, but it frames his face well and his eyes sparkle. Slowly, Juyeon’s hand reaches out and rests on the back of Youngjae’s neck, where Juyeon’s thumb massages slow circles into his skin. Youngjae closes his eyes and lets himself take in the feeling of Juyeon’s hands on him. He is no stranger to it anymore. Not after last night. A slow warmth spreads through him and when he opens his eyes to see Juyeon’s fond smile, Youngjae’s heart clenches. Juyeon barely knows him and he barely knows Juyeon, but this is enough. This is a start. But Youngjae doesn’t know if this is a fast start or a slow one. On one hand, he’s already spent one year of his life loving Juyeon. 

On the other...he slept with Juyeon the first day they officially met. 

It hits him then that on his fifteenth birthday, everything had gone right. He’s done everything right. Finally, he is no longer worlds apart from Juyeon. They are in the same orbit now, but even if Juyeon looks at him affectionately at this moment, Youngjae cannot predict if he will be able to stay as close to Juyeon as he wants to. He fears immensely that Juyeon will get up, help Youngjae get dressed and then drive Youngjae straight to Youngjae’s house. He’s scared that Juyeon will ghost him and crush his fragile, sensitive heart. But when Juyeon pulls Youngjae’s face closer and kisses him, Youngjae lets himself believe. Believe that his happy story with Juyeon begins now. That a year of longing has finally come to an end. Careful with Youngjae’s leg, Juyeon pulls him slightly closer so that he can throw his arm around Youngjae’s waist. Under the soft heat of Juyeon’s arm and the covers, Youngjae falls asleep again. 

He wakes up either hours or minutes later. It was long enough that Juyeon has sat up in the bed and is scrolling through his phone. Youngjae realizes that he didn’t even think of charging his phone last night. He was preoccupied with Juyeon tending to his leg, talking with Juyeon, and then spending the night with Juyeon. Youngjae’s cheeks redden, and he glances at the boy he’s been pining after for so long. Weak sunlight filters through the curtains and lands on Juyeon’s bare chest. Youngjae remembers how firm and strong it felt under his hands in the night. He’s envious of Juyeon’s chest, but he’s also incredibly attracted. Youngjae shivers when the air hits him, as he shifts himself into a sitting position. Winter mornings are always so cold. Juyeon looks over at him and when his eyes catch the red splotches dotting Youngjae’s chest, his mouth stretches into a proud smile. Youngjae rolls his eyes, but he wishes that it was not only his chest covered in hickeys but Juyeon’s as well. Youngjae’s movements were a lot more limited than Juyeon’s last night, and he wishes that it hadn’t been like that. A part of him wants to see lovebites made by him all over Juyeon’s body. He hisses when he finally manages to sit up. He’s sore. Juyeon frowns with concern, and his eyes shift to Youngjae’s ankle and then higher up to his hips. 

“I hope it didn’t hurt too much or anything during the night,” Juyeon says. His eyes find their way back to Youngjae’s. He could be talking about his ankle or he could be referring to more than just that. 

“Everything was...It was great.” Youngjae replies bashfully, as Juyeon slips out of the bed. The sheets fall away, and Youngjae looks to the ceiling. 

“You can look. There’s nothing you haven’t seen...or felt.” Juyeon teases. Youngjae's mouth hangs open from shock, and he feels very flustered all of a sudden. When his eyes fall back down to land on Juyeon, he’s slipping into sweatpants. “Besides, I won’t be that considerate when you get out of bed,” Juyeon adds on. Youngjae’s cheeks flare up in embarrassment. 

“You have to help me get dressed anyway, so look away.” Youngjae teases back, but his furiously red cheeks affect the delivery of his statement. It is enough, however. Juyeon is grinning, but his ears are scarlet. 

“Okay come on, let’s get you decent,” Juyeon says. He picks up Youngjae’s shirt and hands it to him, and he looks around the room for the rest of Youngjae’s outfit. Youngjae slips his shirt on him, and when he glances back up, Juyeon looks like he is having too much fun. 

“You need these?” Juyeon mocks, his hands dangling Youngjae’s pokemon boxers. 

“You’re evil. Let me and my pokemon boxers live in peace.” Youngjae whines, as he reaches for the undergarments. Juyeon throws them at him and bends to pick up Youngjae’s jeans as well. Youngjae struggles with his boxers, but apparently, he’d met his embarrassing moment quota for the morning because he manages to get them on without asking Juyeon and without even having to get out of bed. He was going to do the same thing with his jeans, but Juyeon indicates that he’ll help with them. Youngjae swings his legs around the bed, and Juyeon helps him slide the jeans around his wrapped ankle. Juyeon’s hands, like always, cradle his ankle in a way that makes Youngjae feel warm and loved. And when Juyeon also lets Youngjae lean against him when pulling his pants up, Youngjae can’t help but feel like he’s hit the jackpot in people to be enamored with. Finally, Youngjae is dressed again. He wants a shower more than anything, but he’d rather do that in the comforts of his own home. And if Juyeon is going to let him spend more time there, then it worth waiting in his post-sex state for a while before washing off. 

“I can make breakfast,” Juyeon says. “If you don’t mind staying here for a little longer.” He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, but Youngjae finds it incredibly endearing. His other hand is firmly around Youngjae’s waist, and it fits there like a puzzle piece. The steady feeling of Juyeon’s body heat against his waist makes his skin tingle. 

“I’ll help you.” 

“You can barely stand,” Juyeon says patiently, pointing at how Youngjae is still hanging off of him. Youngjae pouts. 

“You don’t need to stand or walk if you’re cutting stuff. ” He argues. Juyeon smiles at him. 

“Okay,” He relents, “I’ll help you downstairs then. Let me just get my shirt.” He grabs his shirt, but Juyeon’s attempts to be smooth and suave fail him. As soon as he tries to put it on, Youngjae knows that it will take Juyeon a while. In all the ways that you can wear a shirt wrong, Juyeon manages to do almost all of them in one go. It’s backwards, inside out, his arms and head are reaching through the wrong holes. Youngjae laughs and sits down while Juyeon tries to stuff himself in his shirt. 

“Are you sad that you won’t be able to skate for a couple of weeks?” Juyeon mumbles through the fabric. Youngjae feels bad for laughing at how much he’s struggling, but he’s trying to be more discreet and considerate.

“Not really. I shouldn’t have been skating then anyway. Everyone told me not to, but I was stubborn. I’m sad that I won’t be able to play basketball though.” He waits for a pause as he watches Juyeon fight with his t-shirt. How does he find this man attractive again? “Do you need help?” 

“Shut up, I’m getting there. You play basketball in your free time?” Juyeon has managed to slip one of his hands in successfully, but his head and his other arm are still battling the cotton. 

“Yeah, I’m on my school’s basketball team too, so I’m sad that I probably won’t be able to play a lot of the games.” Youngjae answers. Juyeon’s shirt snaps into place and Youngjae is about to congratulate him, but Juyeon looks nothing like the clumsy, flirty boy he was a minute ago. His eyebrows furrow and he’s looking at Youngjae, but his eyes are dazed. Youngjae stays still, and he doesn’t know why, but an awful feeling creeps up. He breathes out slowly to ease the tension, and he gets up. It felt wrong to sit down when the mood of the room has changed completely. Juyeon looks so upset that it terrifies Youngjae. He reaches out to Juyeon to provide comfort from whatever has suddenly decided to bother him, but Juyeon slaps his hand away. 

“You’re on Creker High School’s basketball team? The Tigers?” Juyeon asks it so slowly that Youngjae feels like he has to hang off every word. Youngjae doesn’t miss the way Juyeon’s hands slowly ball into fists and tighten. Juyeon’s bracing himself, and he isn’t even looking at Youngjae anymore. He’s delivered the question like he’s asking if someone in the hospital has made it out of surgery alive. 

“Yes. I’m the point guard for the Tigers.” He’s said something wrong. He knows it as soon he lets the words fall because the mood sours even more. The sun’s left the window and along with it the affection in the room. 

“Damn it!” Juyeon yells, and it’s so loud and sudden that Youngjae startles into falling on the bed. Pain shoots down into his ankle, and he has to hold himself back from cursing. “I’m so stupid. This-This is all wrong.” Juyeon continues. He paces across the room, and he wrings his hands as well. 

“Juyeon, I don’t understand. Are you oka-”

“You’re _that_ Youngjae. The Tiger’s Youngjae, their baby.” 

“What are you say-” 

“You’re _young,_ Youngjae. What were you thinking? What was I thinking? I slept with you! Oh my god.” Juyeon’s hands fly everywhere trying to get his points across. He’s scolding Youngjae but the speech comes out in gasps as Juyeon tries to regain his breath. He’s almost panicking. 

“I’m not that young, Juyeon.” Youngjae argues, “Please calm down. You didn’t do anything illegal.” 

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(35) - Invalidation

“No, you’re like young young. I’ve heard of you. One of the youngest ever on the team. You and that other boy, Seonoo, or whatever. You skipped a grade. Everyone knows about you. You should have told me. I should have asked.” Juyeon rambles, “I gave you alcohol! Can you even drink it?” Youngjae stays silent because he’s so overwhelmed by this complete change in Juyeon. A transformation of Jueyon who was kissing him not even an hour ago, to the Juyeon who slaps his hand away and panics about sleeping with him. 

“Answer me!” Juyeon demands. 

“No, I can’t drink alcohol. But it’s not the first time I’ve had it. It’s not even a big deal.” Youngjae tries to say. 

“And sex? Was that the first time?” Youngjae can’t even reply. The truth is the wrong answer, but Juyeon was so patient with him last night that there’s no way Juyeon doesn’t already know the answer to his question. “Youngjae! Why can’t you just answer?” Anger boils in Youngjae’s chest. 

“Do you really want me to answer?! Don’t you already know the answer? Do you really want me to tell you something that is going to clearly upset you even more?” Youngjae questions, defensively. Juyeon hesitates, but Youngjae does not. “Yes! Is that what you want to hear? Yes, it was my first time. You’re the first person I’ve ever slept with. Are you happy now?” 

There’s nothing that falls faster than Juyeon’s face. He looks absolutely devastated, and his shoulders hunch like the sky has been dropped on them. Youngjae has never seen anyone look so guilty in his entire life.

“Oh no, Youngjae.” Juyeon eyes glisten. “I’m so sorry.” 

“Juyeon, please. It’s not that big of a deal. I don’t mind, see? I’m fine! I liked yesterday! ” 

“Why are you fine? I don’t understand! Do you know what has happened? Your virginity is _gone,_ Youngjae. You can’t get that back.” Juyeon combs his hands through his hair roughly. It looks like it hurts, and Youngjae wants to make him stop. He wants to grab Juyeon’s hands, kiss them and, whisper to him that it’s _okay._ That he doesn’t regret anything that happened. But Juyeon isn’t finished. “You lost your virginity to someone who is almost legal and who you barely know. The fact that you’re okay with it is reason enough that you don’t understand the consequences of what we did. You’re still a child.” 

_Child._ It hits Youngjae so hard. He’s been reduced down to a kid in a span of a couple of minutes. He feels nauseous all of a sudden. The urge to retch crawls up his throat. He’s fifteen. He’s young. He knows that, but he’s not a child. He understands the consequences. 

“I’m fifteen, not nine. I get that you’re almost eighteen, but you’re still not there yet,” He starts. “We’ve never talked, but I’ve seen you play basketball. Whenever you play, I forget everything else and everyone else on the court. You’re all I can see. I’ve known you for a while, Juyeon.”

“You’ve known _about_ me, Youngjae.” 

“That hasn’t stopped me from loving you. And I don’t mean just in this second or because of last night. I mean since last year when I first saw you,” 

“This is exactly what I mean,” Juyeon says, frustrated. “Of course, you think you love me.” 

“Juyeon, I don’t think-”

“You’re fifteen, Youngjae. What do you know about love? Just because you saw me and thought that I was good looking doesn’t mean you’re in love with me. Love at first sight isn’t a thing. I’m just uncharted territory for you. You don’t know me, but I’m good at the things you like and you find me attractive. That’s not love.” Juyeon reasons, and he’s saying it so gently, but the words themselves are venom. They poison Youngjae’s heart, and he can feel his insecurities welling up inside him. He’s finally confessed, and he can understand if he was only being shot down. This is so much more than just rejection. This is _his_ love that Juyeon is invalidating. 

“Stop trying to psychoanalyze me! You’re putting words in my mouth, and you’re assuming what I felt. What I _feel._ Please listen to me.” The pressure behind Youngjae’s eyes and in his throat is unbearable. The tears threaten to slip down, and he would let them if he didn’t think it would make Juyeon believe he actually is a child. It’s like Juyeon’’s trying to make Youngjae confused. The one constant Youngjae has had for the past year is that he loves Juyeon. Maybe it sounds unreasonable, but this feeling is so strong that he can’t believe it’s just adoration or obsession. 

“I’m trying to listen to you, Youngjae, but everything you’re saying sounds ridiculous. Nothing changes the fact that I slept with you, and I feel like shit for it. I took advantage of whatever feelings you think you have for me.” Juyeon is starting to panic again like before. “Oh my goodness, I’m going to be in so much trouble.” 

“Juyeon, I-”

“Come on. I’m taking you home.” 

“Juyeon,” Youngjae begs. “Please listen to me. These are my feelings, and I just-” 

“I’ll help you get in my car,” Juyeon says over him. Youngjae’s mouth snaps shut. He feels numb, but also like he wants to scream and throw things and cry. Juyeon aids him in getting him into his car, and Youngjae honestly has no idea how they even get to his house. He can only remember looking at Juyeon desperately. Hoping and begging in his mind that Juyeon would turn to him and smile and say he’s joking. That he’d ask for something other than directions which leave Youngjae’s mouth on autopilot. But nothing happens. They pull up to Youngjae’s house, and Juyeon turns to him. 

“If you can,” Juyeon starts, and Youngjae’s heart lifts. This is it, here’s the hope that he’s been looking for. “you should forget everything that happened. I’ll stay out of your way.” Everything crashes down on Youngjae. This is not the hope he’s been looking for. 

“Juyeon,” He’s pleading. The desperation in his voice makes it into the air, and he knows he looks like he’s going to cry. Juyeon looks away. 

“Do you need help getting inside?” he asks. There’s a slight waver in his voice, but the rest of the question is firm and unrelenting. Youngjae sobs. How could he have fallen for this boy without a heart? How could fate be so cruel to him?

“No.” Youngjae gasps, and he stumbles his way out of the car. “Just leave.” 

“Youngja-” This time Youngjae cuts Juyeon off by slamming the door. Slowly, he limps his way over to his door, but he can barely feel the pain in his leg compared to the pain in his heart. He couldn’t even stand on his own before, but he just wants to cry in the comfort of his own home. Whether or not his leg hurts is the least of his worries. Youngjae feels like he’s on the walk of shame. Like he should feel guilty for everything that happened. He’s so fucking stupid because he’s forcing himself to listen to see if Juyeon will call out to him. He’s been let down more times this morning than he has in his entire life, and yet he wants Juyeon to fix this. He just wants Juyeon to love him, and he doesn’t understand why it has to be this hard. Of course, Juyeon doesn’t call out to him. His car leaves just as fast as it came the minute Youngjae lets the front door slam behind him. When he gets to his room, everything hurts. It’s so jarring to be in his own room which smells nothing like Juyeon, but he’s relieved to finally be in a safe place. Somewhere where he can break down. 

His knees hit the ground, and suddenly, he’s crying so hard that he can’t breathe. Tears blur his vision, and the only thing he knows at this moment is this awful pain. He falls to the ground and tries to calm down by focusing on the feeling of coarse carpet underneath his head. He clutches his hand to his chest so hard, gasping for air, but it’s not working. Nothing is working. He holds his shirt so roughly that it comes up a bit, and he glimpses one of the red hickeys Juyeon left on him last night. He cries harder. 

It hits him then that on his fifteenth birthday, everything had gone wrong. He’s done everything wrong. He broke his ankle and got fucked literally and figuratively by the person he loves. In the end, he doesn’t have basketball or skating or Juyeon. He let himself fall so much, and now he’s being punished for being naive and reckless. Maybe he was a child. Youngjae whimpers, but there’s no one there to hold him. At this moment, he yearns for his mother or Sunwoo or anyone. 

He hates himself because if there’s anyone he really wants, it’s Juyeon.

Juyeon, who took care of him when he was hurt. Juyeon, who made him dinner and made him feel comfortable in his home. Juyeon, who slept with him. Juyeon, who freaked out that they slept together, told him that Youngjae didn't know his own feelings, and then told him to forget about everything that happened. 

Youngjae weeps. He let Juyeon hold his heart, and now it’s shattered on the floor of Juyeon’s room. Youngjae wants to get up and throw himself in the river so he can drown. He can still feel Juyeon’s touch everywhere on him. Juyeon’s legs are on either side of his hips. Juyeon’s hands are pressing against his waist. Juyeon’s mouth is on his lips, his stomach, his thighs. The need to scrub away any part of Juyeon’s touch is overwhelming, but another part of Youngjae never wants to lose the feeling of Juyeon on his skin. He’s so stupid. His entire world has been thrown off its axis, and yet he still wants Juyeon. 

He still loves Juyeon. 

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(36) - Youngjae's unread texts

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(37) - Skateboard

His skateboard. 

He had forgotten it when Juyeon rushed him out of the house. He doesn’t really want it anymore, but he wants to see Juyeon again. Even if he’s hurting, broken and devastated, he still wants to see Juyeon. He convinces himself that Juyeon has had a day to calm down. He’s been given time to process everything, and if Youngjae tells him how he feels now, Juyeon will be nicer. More loving. But when he comes back from the hospital with a cast on his leg and a stern warning not to play basketball for the season, there on his front step is his skateboard. The message is clear. Juyeon left it on his doorstep with the intention of avoiding Youngjae and limiting any interaction between them. Just like that, Youngjae’s excuse to see Juyeon is gone.

Youngjae’s mom, bless her heart, points it out to Youngjae enthusiastically. She tells him happily that at least it’s not lost, and that his precious skateboard is back in his possession. He quietly asks for help to get to his room and refuses to look at the board. She leaves the room when he asks to be alone, concern lining her face. Youngjae cries his heart out. 

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(38) - Youngjae's unread texts pt.2

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(39) - Normalcy

His fifteenth birthday was arguably the worst he’s ever had. In fact, this entire winter break was the absolute worst. His parents whisper to each other in quick, harsh tones throughout the house, worried about his constantly tear-stricken face and the soft cries he lets out in the dead of night when everyone should be asleep. He stays silent when they ask him to talk to them, and he gets better at stifling his sobs with his pillow. 

When Sunwoo comes back, he’s met with a locked door and no explanation as to why his texts have gone unanswered throughout the break. Changmin visits to be met with the same thing. Jacob, Hyunjae, and Sangyeon have come back to their houses for their winter break (Sangyeon obviously comes back with Sunwoo, but he had let Sunwoo go see Youngjae first before getting worried), and they catch him in the very few minutes that he leaves his room. His face is puffy, but when they ask him what’s wrong, he smiles painfully and tells them that he’s never been better. He’s just upset about basketball, he lies. No one believes him, but no one wants to push him either. 

When school starts again, he works on being better. He smiles and laughs normally, all while his heart aches. Sangyeon, Jacob and Hyunjae go back to university eventually, and they leave unsettled. A new unsaid rule forms: never ask about winter break. Sunwoo never holds anything against Youngjae, and he gives Youngjae the normalcy he craves. He becomes the only anchor Youngjae really has. Sunwoo never says anything when Youngjae attends the Tigers’ games even when Youngjae’s other friends tell him not to because they’re scared he’ll get upset about not being able to play. But he wants to watch Juyeon play, and so he never listens. Every time, he feels worse than before, but he can’t stop himself from  going.  Juyeon never even looks at him. 

By the end of the school year, his parents give up and decide that he needs a change in scenery. And to their surprise, he agrees. He hopes that time away will force him to forget Juyeon. Sunwoo tells him that he’ll never forgive Youngjae for agreeing to leave, but he hugs Youngjae the hardest at the airport, tears in his eyes. Then, he’s shipped off to America for his junior year, hoping for a new start and a cure to heartbreak. 

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(40) - Eric Son

He comes back a year later as Eric Son. He’s grown, matured and unrecognizable with his blonde hair and flirty smile. Everyone is overjoyed at his charisma and new found spirit. In America, he found a different life where he thrived. He comes back with a new skateboard and is amazing at basketball. He has big plans of attending the same prestigious university as Sangyeon, Jacob and Hyungjae, and they blush when he tells them that he’s thankful they’ve been such good friends to him. His parents watch him with pride and relief that he is back to their energetic son. At first, Sunwoo is skeptical about this new version of his best friend. But Eric is still loud and smart like before, and he falls easily back into the comfortable relationship with Sunwoo that they used to have. Eric is in his senior year of high school, reunited with his family and friends, and at the top of his game. 

Juyeon is in his sophomore year of university, racked with guilt and hoping that a boy named Youngjae has gotten over him. There is no Youngjae anymore, only Eric. 

But Eric, despite trying his hardest, is a boy in love. 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG! I didn't think it would take this long to update! Also, hopefully this tugs at your heartstrings, my poor baby Eric. Give me feedback please! I would love if more people interacted with my work! 
> 
> Anyway, if you want more consistent updates, please look at my twitter feed. Info in the first chapter! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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